NOVEMBER / 2017 ISSUE 47

Airmen & civilians at WSUN microphone. Identified are Louis Link, Glen Leland, W.E. WSUN—A Bright Spot in McEachern, Joe Frobole. St Pete’s Radio History circa 1943 A new AM radio station was created in July of 1927 when as United States. The tower configuration of two relaying towers, partners, the City and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce straddling what is now Route 60/Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., overlooking bought half ownership in a station owned by the Clearwater Tampa Bay, are today on display in the Smithsonian Institute Chamber of Commerce. St Pete’s half was named WSUN-AM, in Washington D.C. as they literally revolutionized AM radio which unofficially stood for “Why Stay Up North.” Clearwater’s engineering. half became WFLA-AM. The dual WSUN/WFLA relationship lasted through decades The sales agreement called for a crazy “shared” broadcast of costly infighting between the St. Pete Chamber and the St. arrangement. WSUN and WFLA would each operate three Pete City Manager, until 1941 when the City of St. Petersburg nights per week and alternating Sundays. Both stations used acquired “both halves.” WFLA moved to 940 kHz (and later to the same transmitter and frequency, but had separate offices today’s 970). WSUN stayed on the 620 frequency and began and studios. broadcasting full-time. WSUN-AM began broadcasting on 590 kHz — with its own This was radio’s Golden Age…the early days before television. identity—on November 1, 1927. The inaugural 4-hour WSUN, as part of the NBC/Blue Network (later ABC), and aired broadcast from 7:30 -11:30 pm originated from their new The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Green Hornet, The $40,000 studios on the second floor of the St. Pete Municipal Lone Ranger, and Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour. By the Pier—a.k.a. the Million Dollar Pier and Casino. Excited crowds mid-1950s with the growth of television, radio wisely began surrounded the station listening over the outside speakers. focusing more on music. WSUN turned its attention to St. Due to a major reshuffling of Florida radio frequencies, the Petersburg’s senior citizen crowd, airing music-oriented shows station moved to 580 on the dial in January 1928 and to 900 and local programming hosted by its own staff DJs. in November before finally settling at 620 in 1929. “You could go anywhere in St. Pete or Tampa or Clearwater at In 1932, the stations installed a directional antenna near the 5:45 in the afternoon and hear Amos ’N Andy coming out of Courtney Campbell Causeway. It became the first directional every radio,” a WSUN employee told the St. Petersburg Times antenna system used in commercial broadcasting in the in 1957. National commentator Paul Harvey even made a surprise visit to the station in the early ‘60s. In 1966, after nearly 40 years, the City of St. Petersburg sold WSUN to Detroit broadcaster Hy Levinson. The same year, the Municipal Pier, where WSUN had broadcast from for decades, was closed and demolished and WSUN moved their studio and offices to 201 2nd Avenue North, across from today’s Sundial.

continued on page 9 Or Current Resident Current Or Story by Bob Griffin, Publisher & Nancy Izor. Photos Courtesy of The St. Petersburg Museum of History Page 2 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

CITY NUMBERS NORTHEAST LITTLE LEAGUE 526-9602 ROTARY OF ST. PETERSBURG 822-3277 CITY HALL... 893-7171 Paula Adams, Ex Sec. SPRotary.org 175 Fifth Street North ST. PETE COLLEGE ...... 341-4249 www.stpete.org SUNSHINE CENTER...... 821-2323 UNIVERSITY S. FLORIDA . . . . .873-4873 MAYOR OFFICE...... 893-7201 ------PINELLAS COUNTY INFO. . .464-3000 This newsletter is published by Mayor - Rick Kriseman COMMISSION OFFICES . . . .464-3377 GRIFFIN PRODUCTIONS, Inc. CITY COUNCIL - Chair Amy Foster Ken Welch ...... 464-3614 Vice Chair Darden Rice • Steve Kornell and is mailed to many occupied STATE: residences in Downtown St. Karl Nurse • Ed Montanari • Bill Dudley Jim Kennedy • Charlie Gerdes Senator Darryl Rouson . . . . . 727-552-3200 Petersburg’s zip code 33701 and 535 Central Ave #312 St. Petersburg 33704. We are not associated CITY COUNCIL ADMIN. . . . . 893-7117 Cindy Sheppard [email protected] with the City of St. Petersburg. Representative Wengay Newton .727-892-2468 PUBLISHER INFORMATION...... 893-7111 695 Central Avenue #108 St. Petersburg Bob & Becky Griffin BUILDING PERMITS...... 893-7231 [email protected] Representative Ben Diamond . . . 727-552-2747 ART DIRECTION BUSINESS SUPPORT ...... 893-7000 CITY CLERK...... 893-7448 425 22nd Avenue N., St. Petersburg Becky Griffin CODE COMPLIANCE/ASSIST 893-7373 [email protected] Governor Rick Scott SALES LEISURE SERVICES...... 893-7207 727-517-1997 [email protected] MIRROR LAKE LIBRARY. . . . 893-7268 FLORIDA UNITED STATES SENATORS: CONTACT INFO PLANNING & ZONING . . . .893-7471 Marco Rubio ...... 202-224-3041 P.O. 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That is why when Wayne Finely, President . 813-767-5503 STUDIO @ 620...... 895-6620 you have news or events, contact us. HISTORIC OLD NE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN SUNKEN GARDENS...... 551-3100 This newsletter is printed every other Peter Motzenbecker President 342-0653 CHIHULY COLLECTION . . . . 822-7872 month and mailed to every occupied GWFC ST. PETE WOMAN’S CLUB 822-4982 THE COLISEUM ...... 892-5202 40 Snell Isle Blvd. N.E. area house, business & PO Box. TROPICANA FIELD ...... 825-3137 NORTHEAST EXCHANGE CLUB 528-3828 We hope you enjoy our newsletters. We want your news and input. Did you like this issue? What suggestions do you have for future articles? Call or email us your Happy Holidays comments, or take our survey at StPeteDowntownNewsletter.com. Do you need another copy? Ask for From Our them at the UPS Stores at 2nd St. and 2nd Ave South or 38th Avenue North next to Publix. Family to Yours Thank you for reading, Bob & Becky Griffin, 727-517-1997 [email protected] SEE YOU AGAIN IN JANUARY! ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 3 Page 4 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Did You Know TOYS FOR TOTS Saturday, December 2nd is the annual Postal Toy Drive. Leave a new, unwrapped toy by your mailbox and your postal worker will deliver it to the Marine Corps to be part of the annual Toys-For-Tots drive. RECYCLE TIPS Home recycling is sorted by machines at a recycling facility. Small bottle tops and shredded paper slip through the machines or cause improper sorting. Plastic bottle caps should be left on the bottle or removed and placed in the trash! Always read the recycling information on your container to “Recycling Right.” INTERSTATE 375 RENAMED Members of the City and the Department of Transportation recently unveiled the new name for the north ramp of I-375, leading into and out of downtown St. Petersburg. It is now the C. Bette Wimbish Highway. Ms Wimbish was the first female and the first African-American elected to the St. Petersburg City Council in 1969. “Honoring the trail blazing legacy of Bette Wimbish is important in telling the rich “her- story” of blacks in St. Petersburg,” said State Senator Darryl Rouson at the event. “My hope is it inspires others as she inspired me.” Ms Wimbish, who died in 2009, was a lawyer, politician, and an activist in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County. She was also the first black female attorney in the entire state. She was elected to the St. Petersburg City Council and eventually became Vice-Mayor. NEW DORMS USF/SP has a problem—not enough places for its students to live. Though it has a reputation as a commuter school, that is changing. They are building a 10-story, 550-bed student housing building at Fifth Avenue South and Third Street. The new dorm will double their existing campus housing. Recently, the school has had to convert single rooms into doubles, and doubles into triples. They have even been putting students in the nearby Hilton. The new dorm marks a critical expansion for USF/SP. “It will double the population of our residents, which is huge,” says a school spokesman. LIGHTED BOAT PARADE The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg is pleased to present the 31st Annual Lighted Boat Parade downtown in the Vinoy Basin December 9 at 6:00 pm. The Southside Bulldog Band will headline this year’s entertainment with classic and British invasion rock. The best seat in the house will again be in the bleachers on the Vinoy side of the entrance to the basin to enjoy live music, a cold beer, concessions and a front row seat for all of the boats. Register your boat and reserve your seats by calling 727-822-3277 or e-mail [email protected] ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 5 and More... MONEY FOR COLLEGE During the early spring, students traditionally begin their college applications. Does your child need a scholarship? Look into the Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA. Last year over $2.3 billion in financial aid went unclaimed. You must supply a lot of information, so start now for next year. St Pete College is holding a series of help nights. Get information at SpCollege.edu/fafsanights or call Gwen Reed at 341-7924. INSURANCE TIME Open Enrollment season is upon us. If you purchase your own health insurance through the marketplace, now is the time to buy or change your health insurance plan for 2018. Open Enrollment began November 1st and ends December 15th. To get covered, visit www.Healthcare.gov. This is your chance to make changes that work best for you and your family. You can find plans with no-cost preventive care — like flu shots and mammograms. TURKEY TROT Run With the other Turkeys who got out of bed at 5 am for the Annual Clearwater Turkey Trot, on November 23, Thanksgiving, of course. There is a 10K, 5 K and 1 mile run / walk and The Challenge. The first race starts at 7am. Online registration is in $20 advance ($25 day of). It includes their popular shirt. The Challenge is all three races (the 1 Mile, 5K and the 10K) and costs $40 advance ($50 Day of). They recommend you show up an hour before your race, at the Clearwater High School stadium on Gulf to Bay. Visit www.tampabay.com/marketing/turkey-trot/ or call 442-5838 for more information. GULP COAST. Visit St Pete/ Clearwater, the Pinellas Marketing organization created a Passport-like booklet highlighting Pinellas’s Craft Beer Breweries. They invite you to visit them ALL - from Tarpon Springs to South St Pete, many housed in unique revitalized warehouses and historic buildings. Their free Gulp Coast Craft Brewery Passport comes complete with maps, selected tastes, tour information and descriptions of all 33 breweries. Have your PassPort stamped at each brewery and mail it in for a special t-shirt. Order your free PassPort at www.gulpcoast.com. It is not just a list of craft breweries - “It’s an adventure!” OUR NEXT ISSUE IS IN JANUARY Read this issue, and others, online at StPeteDowntownNewsletter.com. Page 6 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 7

ABOVE IT ALL: A CRANE OPERATOR’S LIFE by Bob Griffin, Publisher usually my lunch the next day.” he tallest guy downtown has got Each morning, Kell takes his lunch, a to be Mike Kell, a crane operator gallon of water and a bucket up with Ton the construction site of ONE, him. Since he does not come down all St. Petersburg, the high-rise at the east day, you can probably figure out what end of Central Avenue. Now working the bucket is for. He even has a small on the top floor of the 41-story microwave and a crockpot up there. building, he has been working on the “This job requires teamwork,” Kell project since shortly after its 2016 stresses. “I have Pedro, my partner on the groundbreaking. ground. He is my ‘eyes on the ground’ Kell, who works for the Morrow because I cannot see him or the hook Equipment Company, operates one of I am dropping - we communicate by two cranes used to lift supplies to the radio. Pedro tells me where the hook is uppermost floors. Kast Construction, one and where it needs to go. He tells me the of many contractors on the ONE project, distance I have to the ground - 40, then leases the cranes and Kell’s services. 30, then 20 feet. I stop at 10 feet and With over 25 years of experience, Kell has then slowly lower the hook until Pedro helped build many of our tall buildings. tells me to stop.” Kell calls the weather stations when he His last job was on Sarasota’s waterfront. “Pedro is a good guy,” Kell continues. sees storms coming. “You can see the He also worked on “He is my signal man. I have to trust him weather coming, ten miles away. Cranes St Petersburg’s Signature Condo, the and what he says because he is 40 floors are magnets for lightning. I was hit three Clearwater Beach Hyatt Regency and the below me. We pick up and drop loads times in one day,” Kell recalls. As we Westshore Yacht Club. very fast, because time is money.” learned during Hurricane Irma, cranes Kell, who has worked for Morrow Crane operators are certified and are designed to withstand hurricane about five years, lives in Lakeland and licensed. They are monitored by the force winds. “During severe weather, it is commutes downtown each day. He Occupational Safety and Health best to put them in neutral and let them leaves home three hours before sunrise, Administration (OSHA). swing in the wind, like a sailboat on a getting to the job at 4:30 am. “When I “I had to take several tests to become a mooring,” he explains. get to work, it is dark,” say Kell. “I always certified crane operator,” Kell explains. Tim Mairn, Sales Manager of Morrow’s see the sunrise, a job perk.” “Much of the test is math and involves Florida operations said, “The cranes will He rides one of the buildings newly calculations. You must know about be up over 500 feet in the air when this installed elevators to a top floor, then weights. My crane can lift 18 tons but it job is finished. Kell is a great operator climbs a ladder attached to the crane, may be at the outer end of the crane’s and is very concerned with safety—his up to his perch. He stays there the entire arm. That is a lot torque. Wind speed and own as well as that of his fellow workers.” work day, which can be 12-14 hours. He gusts are some of my greatest concerns,” “Probably my biggest problem is getting does this five, or sometimes six days, a Kell adds. “When I have a load on a a day off,” Kell admits. “When they are week. 500-foot cable, things can start swinging pouring cement, you have to be there. It’s “I normally get home about 7 pm,” Kell very quickly if you are not careful. My hard to make doctor appointments, see says. “I spend some time with my wife; cockpit has a lot of electronics,” he adds. your kid’s school events, or go hunting, we have dinner together. Then I go to “I have nine screens on the dashboard, which I love to do. Sometimes you work bed. Whatever she made for dinner is much like an airplane. even when you are sick.” f Page 8 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS NOVEMBER Shop-A-Plooza #2 Straub Park 25 Heralds of Harmony Paladium 10 Et Culture 15-19 Seaboard Seafood Festival SPMOH 25-26 Gingerbread House Day 11 Beaujolais Day 16 Hurricane Season Ends 30 Dunedin Music Society Paladium 11 First Night Fund-Raiser Ale & Witch 16 Murray Zimiles Holocaust Museum 30 Hanukkah Begins 12 Chuck Redd Jazz Paladium 16 St Petersburg Boat Show Yacht Basin 30-3 Boley’s Jingle Bell Run 13 Food Truck Rally Port of St Pete 17 DECEMBER Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday Paladium 14 St Pete Ooze Fest Williams Park 17 Northeast Little League Signup Begins 1 DNA Porch Party Stillwaters Tavern 14 Holiday Arts & Craft Woman’s Club 18 World Aids Day 1 Food Truck Rally Port Of St Pete 15 Chill Lounge Night Straub Park 18 First Friday 1 Ugly Christmas Sweater Day 15 Shop-A-Plooza South Straub Park 18 St Pete Ballet Nutcracker Paladium 1-3 Beers On The Pier 16 Florida Orchestra Mahaffey 18 Morean Art Center Holiday Show 1-29 Sunken Gardens Wild Flowers 16 St Pete Run Fest/Half Marathon 18-19 Post Office Toys For Tots 2 Crescent Heights Tour 16 CraftArt Festival 18-19 Holiday Santa Parade Downtown 2 Florida Orchestra Holiday Pops Mahaffey 16 Coliseum Holiday Extravaganza 18-19 Snowfest Downtown 2 Holiday Of The Arts Straub Park 16-17 Sunken Gardens Dance In Gardens 19 AWAPS Pancake Breakfast 2 The Family Blessing Mahaffey 17 Australian Bee Gees Mahaffey 19 Fl Orchestra Holiday Tour Of Homes 2 Michael Carbonaro Mahaffey 17 Pinellas Youth Symphony Paladium 19 Downtown Walking Tour 2 St Pete Opera Sparkley Paladium 18 Men’s Day 19 Florida Orchestra Mahaffey 2-3 Food Trucks Lunch At Williams Park 20 Public Schools Closed 20-26 Caroll Brown & Friends Paladium 5 Cirque Dreams Holidaze Mahaffey 20 Helio Jazz Orchestra Paladium 21 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 7 Winter Begins 21 Preservation Hall Concert Mahaffey 21 Jingle Mingle #2 Sunken Gardens 7 The Ten Tenors Mahaffey 21 Damon Fowler & Friends Paladium 22 Santa & Glice Skating Straub Park 7-10 Fl Orchestra Handel’s Messiah Mahaffey 22 Ferg’s 25th Anniversary Party 22 Una Voce A Naughty Cabaret Paladium 8 The Family Blessing Mahaffey 23 Turkey Trot Clearwater 23 98 Degrees at Christmas Mahaffey 8 Historic Kenwood Tour 23 Thanksgiving 23 Sunken Gardens Air Plant Workshop 9 Public Schools Closed 23-31 Black Friday 24 Sting & Florida Orchestra Mahaffey 9 Christmas Day 25 Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting 24 Holiday Heritage Village Opens 9 Gasparilla Bowl Tropicana 26 Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Mahaffey 24 Bad Santa Bar Crawl 9 Kwanzaa Begins 26 Gem & Jewelry Show Coliseum 24-26 Illuminated Boat Parade 9 Boxing Day 26 Holiday Lights Botanical Gardens Opens 24 Second Art Walk 9 Russian Nutcracker Mahaffey 26-27 Historic Kenwood Tour 25 Waterfront Walking Tour 9 Swinging In The New Year Coliseum 31 Small Business Day 25 HONNA Candlelight Tour of Homes 10 First Night Downtown 31 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 9

WSUN’s old studio and offices at 201 2nd Avenue North was a RE/MAX METRO real estate office for about 10 years. It is reopening as the 2nd and Second Café. WSUN, Continued Without notice, one morning in 1974, loyal listeners awoke to Johnny Cash coming out of their radios, instead of Lawrence Welk. Plough Broadcasting had bought the station and rebranded it Sun Country. The station ultimately became one of the most successful AMs in Florida. During the mid-80s, better sound quality lured music audiences to the FM band. After a brief period of ownership by Taft Broadcasting, CBS bought WSUN in 1985 and unsuccessfully flipped it to all news, eventually reverting back to Country. It was under Cox’s ownership in 1990 that WSUN switched to a “Hot Talk” format with the “Ron & Ron” syndicated morning show. During most of the ‘90s, the station format bounced back and forth between Country (AM 620 WSUN Country Classics) and News (News/Talk 620 WSUN). Very briefly, the station simulcast their LA and Miami sister stations, carried Miami Dolphins’ games and became the flagship station of the Tampa Bay Lightning. For a short time in 1998, the station adopted a satellite-fed Adult Standards (Sinatra, etc.) format. In late 1998, the WSUN’s call letters were moved from AM- 620 to Plant City’s AM-910 with 1950s satellite music. The 620 became WSAA all news; today that is the home of WDAE Sports Radio. Religious broadcaster, Salem, acquired the Plant City station and changed the call letters from WSUN to WTWD…effectively wiping the WSUN calls letter off the AM dial. In January of 1999, WSUN resurfaced as an FM station and went on the air at 97.1 mHk broadcasting from studios in north St. Petersburg. Today it is 97X-The New Rock Alternative. Although WSUN-FM are the 97-X’s official call letters, you will rarely hear it said on the air except for the FCC-required station ID at the top of each hour. You might also be surprised to know there was once a WSUN- TV. It too, was owned by the City of St. Petersburg and broadcast from first floor of the Pier in a 35’ X 46’ space that was once a trolley turnaround. It signed on in 1953 (Channel 38) as Tampa Bay’s first TV station and one of the first UHFs in the country. It was the first station to deliver live programming using a microwave link when it broadcast the 1954 World Series. For two years, it was Tampa Bay’s only TV station on the air as the others waged a battle over frequency allocation. Amid new competition and unable to afford competitive programming, the City of St. Pete sold WSUN-TV to Hy Levinson, along with WSUN-AM, in 1966 and the TV station went dark in 1970. f Page 10 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

2017 HOLIDAY HOMES TOUR Featuring Music, Boutique, Decorations The Florida Orchestra Guild’s Holiday Tour of Homes is on Saturday, December 2, from 10 am to 4 pm, and will feature six homes in St. Petersburg’s Snell Isle and Brightwaters Boulevard Northeast neighborhoods. Celebrating the Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary, the Tour will include musicians in each of the decorated homes, spectacular Ikebana floral arrangements in one home, and a boutique with holiday gifts in another. They promise a festive prelude to the Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary Gala Celebration at the Mahaffey just one week later,” says Guild president Emily Gillespie. Advance tickets are $20; tour day, they increase to $25 and may only be purchased at the Tour home at 125 Lamara Way NE. Advance tickets are being sold in the Florida Orchestra Box Office Lobby, 163 3rd Street N., St. Petersburg, on Wednesday, November 29; Thursday, November 30; and Friday, December 1, from 11 am. to 2 pm. They will also be sold at the Saturday Morning Market on Saturday, November 4. Tickets for the Holiday Tour Reception on Friday, December 1, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at a waterfront home on Snell Isle, will also be on sale at the Market and Orchestra Box Office Lobby for $80 per person. The Reception includes a Tour ticket. The Holiday Tour, now in its sixth year as a St. Petersburg Guild event to benefit the Orchestra, will feature accomplished pianists, violinists, and a flutist, along with members of youth musical groups from schools in Pinellas County. Jeanne Houlton, president of the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, Florida Chapter, will provide floral arrangements for one of the homes. For more information on tickets, call 727-254-1176; on sponsorships, 727-592-2311. DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY EVENTS Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony: Mayor Kriseman flips the switch on the Christmas tree and lights Friday, November 24, at North Straub Park. Children will enjoy the activities and interactive games. Food concessions available. Blanket seating. Free to the public. Presented by City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation. From 5 to 7 pm St. Petersburg Santa Parade: Saturday, December 2, at 10 am the parade travels from Central Ave. and 5th St. east to Bayshore Dr. then turns north ending at 5th Ave. N. Free family fun, bands, floats and much more will delight the spectators. Snowfest: A Real Snow Event: Sixty-four tons of snow are expected to fall on North Straub Park at the annual holiday Snowfest on Saturday, December 2, from 10:30 am until 3 pm. Activities include a big and kiddie toboggan slide, art tent, karaoke, moonwalk, giant slide, “glice” ice skating and a Kiddyland area designed for preschoolers with inflatable train, cookie decorating and more. Wristbands are $5 and are required for all activities. Save time and purchase wristbands in advance, from November 20 through December 1, at any St. Petersburg recreation center. Santa & Ice Skating in North Straub Park: Visit Santa in the Park and go “glice” skating on a simulated ice rink in North Straub Park. Fun for the whole family! Ice skating sessions are 30 minutes for $5. Skates included, socks required and available for $1. Free visit with Santa. Santa leaves at 9 p.m. to feed his reindeer. Cameras welcomed. Waterfront Lights and Display: See thousands of holiday lights and decorations in North and South Straub Parks from November 24 through January 1. Don’t miss the giant greeting card display along Bayshore Dr. at Vinoy Park made by local teens from St. Petersburg’s recreation centers. Lights and decorations by City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 11

DID I JUST SEE A BALD EAGLE? By Lara Milligan, Natural Resources Agent UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County I think it would be safe to say that most people know what a Bald Eagle looks like without ever having seen one in the wild. They have large white heads with a bright yellow bill and a large white tail you can see in flight. Advanced birders will often hear a Bald Eagle before they see one, but their call doesn’t quite match their large and fierce appearance. Their main call is a series of short, high-pitched whistles. Movies often use the hoarse, screaming call of a Red-tailed Hawk when showcasing large birds like a Bald Eagle, but don’t let those sound effects fool you. Once you learn the call of an eagle, it’s hard to mistake it with any other bird. It’s a good way to know there is an eagle in the area and then you can use binoculars to locate it in the sky. In addition to the potentially misleading call, Bald Eagles don’t always have their distinct white head and tail, and yellow bill and feet. When first born, eaglets are a light gray color with a dark bill and dark eye. As chicks get a little bit older they become a solid, dark brown. As they continue to mature into their first year, they start to show white mottling on the underside of the wings. By their second year, the white mottling extends to the breast. In year three, their feet are distinctly yellow, the head turns whitish with a dark stripe through the eye, and their bill begins to turn yellow. By year four, they look very similar to adult Bald Eagles, but still have some dark spots on the head. Finally, by year five, Bald Eagles will have the white head and tail with yellow bill and feet we have come to know and love. Perched or in flight, Bald Eagles might be mistaken for a Red-tailed Hawk or a Vulture, but there are a few ways to tell them apart. Bald Eagles are much larger than these other two species. When perched, look for a large head and long, hooked bill. When soaring, look for the very straight posture of the wings and the slow wing beats. When you hear or see a Bald Eagle you will most likely be near a body of water as fish make up a big portion of their diet. Unlike the Osprey that are excellent fishermen, Bald Eagles are better known for their ability to steal food from other birds, like the Osprey. Eagles will hunt for their own fish, mammals, and other bird species too, but are often seen harassing other birds for food. Bald Eagles will also eat dead animals or garbage. Now that you know a little more about the Bald Eagle, spend some time outside to see if you can hear or see one. It is a good time of year to spot an eagle, so keep your eyes and ears open! You can reach Laura at [email protected] or 727-453-6905 Page 12 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Business Briefs HYATT PLACE OPENS Downtown St. Petersburg’s newest hotel, The Hyatt Place, located west of the ONE condo still under construction, and north of the future James Museum on Central Avenue, opened in September. For the last two years, Kolter Urban Hospitality has had Central Avenue and 1st Avenue N. blocked while it builds the city’s tallest condominium building, ONE St. Petersburg, as well as the new Hyatt Place Hotel. The condo building is still under construction. Truly in the middle of everything, the new hotel has 175-rooms, an attached covered parking garage, a rooftop swimming pool, three bars, and a sidewalk café. An upscale restaurant will be opening in the future. The small lobby restaurant is to services its hotel guests. The hotel also houses 6,500 square feet of meeting space where they plan to host weddings and conventions. A Hyatt Place is traditionally a business-oriented guest property with a focus on mid-week business bookings. With Beach Drive only one block away though, they expect to have brisk weekend business, too. Hyatt Place is less expensive than a Hyatt Regency or the Renaissance Vinoy, but more expensive than its neighboring Hampton Inns and Courtyard by Marriott. The Hyatt Place is located at 25 Second Street North. Call them at 220-0950. NEED ROWDIES GEAR? Now you can buy all those green clothes at the Sundail. The new store, that carries anything you could want with a Rowdies Soccer logo on it, opened in October, just in time for your holiday shopping. It is on the first floor on the left as you enter from 2nd Avenue N. RED CLOUD CELEBRATES 30 Red Cloud, the specialty store on Beach Drive has been open 30 years. Steve and Harriet Rambeaux have been operating in the shadow of the pier since 1987. To celebrate, they are having a solo show by D Yael Kelley titled “Spiral Focus.” They specialize in authentic Indian Arts and the store is practically a small museum. Check them out at 214 Beach Drive. FLOREN’S OPENS ON BEACH DRIVE This new ladies wear shop specializes in jewelry, handbags, apparel and unique gifts. It is owned by Bertrand & Florence Nottellet, who also own Warren’s Gifts in Clearwater, which has been around for 24 years. They carry more than dresses—a lot more. Find Floren’s at 30 Beach Drive NE, next to Ceviche and across the street from the Yacht Club. Call them at 202-8301. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 13 Business Briefs SARTORIAL OPENS This mens’ specialty store opened on Halloween day. The store’s focus is on affordable luxury wear for both business and leisure including shirts, sport jackets, jeans, athletic leisure performance wear, and resort wear. “We hope to help recapture the original nature of St. Petersburg and its style,” says store owner Jose Martinez, shown above with son Jelani Martinez. “St Pete was once a paragon of fashion and style.” They intended to modernize what sartorial is and to reflect the personality of downtown St Pete and provide the option of style for the classic male. “Our style may sometimes lead or follow. However, we will always reflect the ‘unique’ personality of St. Pete,” Martinez explains. They offer alterations to give you a great fit every time, for that straight off the runway look. Get fitted and styled for weddings, proms, interviews, or that important meeting. Sartorial is located at 400 Beach Drive NE on the south side of the 400 Condo building facing 4th Avenue North. LIVE ART SHOW Robert Wyland attended a special showing of his work at his new St Petersburg Wyland Gallery, located at 400 Beach Drive. During the show, he created a painting of three dolphins, on his sidewalk easel. He sold that painting as well as others in his gallery. Tracy Morgan of Saturday Night Live fame was in town for a show and also stopped by. Shown here with Wyland & Morgan are Steve and Nancy Westphal, owners of 400 Beach Seafood Restaurant. TIRE STORE NOW OPEN A new Kauffman Tire Company opened at 4001 4th Street North. Kauffman is a large company based in Atlanta since 1936. They have over a dozen stores now in the Tampa Bay area. SALVADOR SOLD OUT Another upscale condo, this one located near the Dali Museum, has announced it is sold out. This seems to be another indicator that the downtown condo market has not stopped growing. Recent records indicated that in zip code 33701, in the price range of $500,000 or above, only 15 units are for sale. The Salvador building is located at 199 Dali Boulevard. NAME WANTED Priatek Plaza, also known as One Progress Plaza, is a 28-story skyscraper located at 200 Central Avenue. Priatek, a small tech company, with an office in the building, has decided not to renew its naming agreement, so the owners are looking for a new name. Until ONE St. Petersburg’s building topped out, this was the tallest building in St. Petersburg. If you are interested in naming a building after yourself--or your business, call Wendy Giffin with Cushman & Wakefield. Page 14 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

FALL COLOR FOR YOUR YARDS By Randy Lee Fall is here in Central Florida and its time to add color to the landscape. With sunny, cooler weather it is time to get out in the yard and finish end of the year details like trimming, fertilizing and planting flowers. We plant both annuals (living only one season) and perennials (living for several seasons) during this time of the year. My favorite time to plant is the first of November since the heat is gone and the holidays are right around the corner. We plant thousands of annuals in November and December so get your trowel out and let’s get started. There are many annuals to choose from: sweet alyssum, geranium, pansy, begonia, petunia, snap dragon and salvia. These are the more popular annuals. Popular perennials include crown of thorn, penta, lantana and blue daze. I prefer perennials in the summer months and annuals in the winter. Annuals are generally planted from October through May so take advantage of them during these months. Impatiens is also very popular in Florida. The two varieties we grow in Florida are Sunpatiens and New Guinea. Before selecting your flowers, keep a few things in mind. First, what colors do you want to use and how do you want to use them in the overall design in the landscape? Colors are grouped into two groups: the cooler lighter colors and the hotter more vivid colors. Cooler colors include white, pink and blue. Vivid colors include red, purple and orange. Most people have a preference. Next, remember to use the right flowers in the right place. Is the area wet or dry? Are the flowers in full sun or shade or somewhere in between? Each type of flower has a preference. The area should be prepped with a light fertilizer and good potting soil - the ground may need to be loosened as well. A granular fertilizer can also be used every eight weeks to keep the flowers looking their best. I typically will mulch before planting if using smaller flowers since mulching after is difficult. You may want to layer the flowers with a shorter flower in front like sweet alyssum and a taller plant in back like geranium - this layering effect can be very dramatic. Be sure to space the flowers correctly and do not be afraid to use a lot of plants. Follow these few steps for many months of beautiful flowers. October/November checklist: Fertilizer ban is lifted Great time to plant fall color Ease off on the mowing and trimming Great time to plant large trees Redo pots and containers at this time Landscapes By Randy Lee, Inc. is a full service landscape design company here to help you with all of your needs. Call them at 727-421-2715 or visit online at www.landscapesbyrl.com ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 15 Business Briefs BANK BREAKS GROUND Bank of Tampa is opening its third Pinellas County location, this one in Clearwater. In September, bank officials held a ground breaking on a new branch at 900 South Ft. Harrison. Craig West, (shown here) previously at the downtown St Pete location, will be the Market Director of the new branch. Construction continues with a Spring opening targeted. Get more information on the bank at BankofTampa.com. ANOTHER CONDO It seems there are still more condos to come. This month, Mobile, Alabama developer L.W. Cave announced they had purchased a lot south of Central Avenue to build a new condominium or possibly an apartment building. Since it is less than a mile from Albert Whitted Airport, the developer says that although it could be much taller, the building would probably be limited to 20-stories to avoid a long review process with the FAA. “There are already a lot of condos downtown,” says Beau Blackerby, one of the partners. “The apartment market seems to be going strong, too. We will have to see which way we go.” Tentative plans call for 40 to 50 units, in a building built on a diagonal to allow for better street and water views. The Third Street South property, with two old houses, across from the AER apartment tower, was bought for $2.365 million. ONE LAST CHANCE ONE St. Petersburg, the 41 story condo building under construction downtown, is almost SOLD OUT. As of November 1st, 85% of the building is sold. That makes it the #1 selling building in the area. “ONE has attracted buyers from as far away as Australia to as close as around the block,” says Smith & Associates’ Dave Traynor. With a 40,000 square foot elevated amenity level, it offers a stand-alone fitness center, resort style pools, and several informal or formal club rooms. It has something for everyone and is in the ideal location to be within walking distance of most everything. The building offers a variety of floor plans, including the spectacular Sunset Residence, which starts in the mid-$700s and boasts two bedrooms, two and a half baths with premium finishes, as well as luxurious Penthouse residences from $3.25 million. It’s no wonder, ONE St. Petersburg is the #1 selling condominium in Tampa Bay. With vertical construction now topped off, the building has become the tallest in St. Petersburg. The project, which features 253 luxury residences, a 175-guest room Hyatt Place Hotel and retail space, is scheduled to be completed at the end of next year. Learn more at www.OneStPetersburg.com. For buying information, call Smith & Associates at 855-580-3758. Page 16 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

AN INTIMATE EVENING: THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA AND STING Going all out for its 50th anniversary, The Florida Orchestra will feature a performance by world-renowned musician Sting at its gala concert on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the Mahaffey Theater, under the baton of Music Director Michael Francis. All proceeds will benefit the orchestra’s robust community and education programs as well as TFO’s artistic initiatives. In a concert like no other in Tampa Bay, “An Intimate Evening with The Florida Orchestra and Sting” puts the iconic rock star and former front-man of The Police at center stage, but it will not be your typical rock show. Joined by a 3-piece band with music supervised by Rob Mathes (Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Renée Fleming, and more), expect 90 minutes of the 16-time Grammy winner’s most celebrated hits re-imagined and arranged for an orchestra, including Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Englishman In New York, Roxanne, Every Breath You Take and Fields Of Gold, among many others. Some arrangements are from Sting’s widely acclaimed Symphonicities album. Gala concert tickets went on sale exclusively to Florida Orchestra subscribers on September 25, and to the general public on Monday, October 2. Tickets are $75, $100, $150, $250 and $375 with select premium seats at $450. Concert tickets do not include gala reception or dinner. This season’s 50th anniversary gala concert is generously sponsored by Schmidt Investments of South Florida. “We have a true world star coming to make music with The Florida Orchestra,” says Michael Francis, who will share a stage with the British rock icon he grew up listening to in England. “Sting is not just a rock star. He’s a deep, comprehensive artist who is constantly re-examining the world around him.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has sold 100 million albums from his combined work as the front-man of The Police and as one of the most distinctive solo artists in the world. A composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author, and activist, Sting also has received a Golden Globe, four Oscar nominations, a Tony nomination and the Kennedy Center Honors. Sting has not performed in the bay area since 2010, when he appeared at what is now the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater in Tampa. This year’s gala is chaired by Schmidt Investments CEO Bob Schmidt, who is also a TFO board member, and celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Florida Orchestra and its supporters with an extraordinary evening. Packages include a pre-concert champagne reception with hors d’oeuvres and live music, valet parking, prime seats at the concert and a post-concert gourmet dinner with Sting, Michael Francis and TFO musicians, all overlooking the waterfront at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. The dinner will be catered by pre-eminent local chef Chris Ponte, who has been a James Beard Award semifinalist. Gala package reservations are on sale now at 727.362.5424, or email [email protected]. The gala is The Florida Orchestra’s only major fundraising event of the year. All proceeds support TFO’s high standard of artistic excellence as well as growing education and community programs, including free hospital, park, museum, youth concerts and more throughout Tampa Bay. Last season’s gala concert with violinist Itzhak Perlman raised more than $600,000. For Maestro Francis, a musician of Sting’s caliber is a good fit for the orchestra’s 50th anniversary gala: “Not only is Sting involved in rock, pop, jazz, and world music, but he loves and supports the classical world. He really sums up what the Florida Orchestra is all about, especially as we look to the future. We are genuinely communicating with Tampa Bay in so many different ways.” 7 pm Saturday, December 9, 2017, Mahaffey Theater. Tickets on sale at FloridaOrchestra.org or 727.892.3337. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 17

NORTHEAST LITTLE LEAGUE Northeast Little League (“NELL”), operating since 1958, has a new President, Jay Walker. He and his wife Alexis have 3 children, Harry (11), Remy (8) and Greta (5), two of whom currently play at NELL. Greta will start tee ball this coming Spring. They live on Snell Island Estates and got involved with NELL when Harry started tee ball 6 years ago. A local attorney, Walker started volunteering at NELL by coaching tee ball; this is his fourth year on the board of directors and first as president. Northeast Little League is comprised of the Northeast Baseball complex, off of 62nd Avenue N. (rented from the City) and the Shorey complex owned by NELL and located at 211 45th Avenue N (the stadium on 1st Street N. just north of Publix). NELL strives to provide quality baseball and softball instruction for our kids, but also teaches great life lessons involving being part of a team, hard work and being great citizens. They never turn kids away due to money, so if fees or equipment are a problem, they have a system to allow all kids to participate. As an all-volunteer organization, they rely on the commitment of the community. Lots of great people volunteer countless hours coaching, running concessions and helping with the day to day operations vital to the success of the league. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Walker directly at JWalker@trenam. com or visit www.northeastll.com. Long term, they hope to update the Shorey complex. Unlike most youth organizations, NELL owns that property. While owning is great, it come with added expenses. Maintenance costs are many times the amount they pay the City of St. Petersburg to lease the fields at the Northeast Baseball Complex. With the future in mind, they are currently beginning a capital campaign to raise money for long term improvements. CASA’S SOUP-ER BOWL: Food Drive Needs your Help For many people, when they hear that someone is reaching out for help to get out of an abusive relationship their first instinct is to ask, “why didn’t she just leave?” Let’s put aside the tragic irony of that statement - they’re annoyed that someone is trying to escape abuse… because they haven’t already escaped abuse. Instead let’s just answer it head on. So, “why didn’t she just leave?” It might be because she has nowhere to go. In fact, domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness among women and their children. Thankfully, CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) and other domestic violence centers have programs empowering people to overcome these challenges and attain a safe home. (24-hour hotline: 727-895-4912.) CASA provides food to the approximately 133 people at their domestic violence center. No one will ever be forced to go hungry while staying at their emergency shelter, no matter how expensive it gets… and it does get very expensive! They need your help to sustain its emergency shelter, provide living necessities like nutritious food, and continue programs healing the soul, healing the pain and giving people tools to attain financial independence. Help out by participating in CASA’s Soup-er Bowl Food Drive for a Safe Home! They need sponsors, donation drop locations and committee members to make its upcoming “Soup-er Bowl” initiative a success. They are lining up resources for their January Soup-er Bowl! Last year, 50 businesses, clubs and organizations helped collect five months of nonperishables. This year, please help them reach their goal of eight months of nonperishables, plus financial resources to provide 8 months of fresh food and vital health initiatives! Visit www.casa-stpete.org/SouperBowl or e-mail Mo Venouziou at [email protected] to get involved! Page 18 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Bar & Restaurant News UNCLE MADDIO’S PIZZA OPENS Enjoy fresh, real pizzas made right in front of you. Just pick your size and crust, and choose your toppings. You can also create a salad, or choose from their made from scratch soups, all made with fresh ingredients. Add a love cookie or cannoli and you have hit the perfecta. They offer New York style thin crust traditional or whole wheat dough, and sauces made daily. Everything is delivered to your table or ready to go in less than 10 minutes. Find them at 5226 4th Street N. DATZ DOWNTOWN This popular Tampa restaurant is opening a St. Petersburg location this spring on the first floor of the new James Museum, which is under construction on Central Avenue. This will be the first DATZ outside of Tampa. DATZ, specializes in comfort food with flair and is known for their killer sandwiches. They also offer an eclectic cocktail menu. FARMTABLE’S RESTURANT GOES ITALIAN If you have not been to the Locale Gourmet Market inside Sundial lately, you may not have seen the changes to their upstairs restaurant. Besides a new name, it is now “Farmtable Cucina,” they have nearly doubled their seating, changed the layout, and created a new menu. Chef partners Michael Mina and Don Pintabona, who created the Farmtable Restaurant in April of 2016, announced the complete rejuvenation of the restaurant and its menu. “Cucina will focus on fresh, house-made, rustic, Italian-inspired cuisine, influenced by seasonal, regionally sourced and carefully curated ingredients,” they say. “Dishes will include favorite house-made pasta, pizzas and fresh breads.” “We gave the restaurant an Italian flare,” says Mordechai Baron, the restaurant’s Director of Operations. “We also expanded the space from133 seats to 242; 110 are outside on our patio. We changed the menu greatly, too and offer different foods for lunch, dinner and in between. There is a new special menu for our happy hours,” adds Baron. Locale Gourmet Market, a grocery store, is still downstairs and resembles markets found in urban cities like New York and Chicago. That is probably because Mordechai was the chef at Deana Dulca’s in Manhattan just off Broadway. “This store and restaurant really reminds me of my old hometown,” Mordechai adds. “But I love my new home, St. Petersburg. The people here are so nice. It is a beautiful community.” Find Cucina on the second floor of Sundial. Visit FarmTableCucina.com, for more information. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 19 Bar & Restaurant News TRY WINE EXPANDS WITH MOVE The downtown wine store, Try Wine, not only moved, it tripled in size. “We expanded from 1,000 square feet to 3,400,” says owner and operator Oliver Motschmann. The expansion brought many nice changes and additions. Naturally the wine inventory and selections have expanded, but the extra space allowed Motschmann to add other merchandise. He sells many wine related gifts, cigars and food. The store carries foods easily paired with wine like chocolates and caviar. But now Try Wine offers small plates—from appetizers to entrées to desserts. While dining, you can enjoy or sample their many wines and beers. Their electronic vending machines allow you to serve yourself and sample different brands. Motschmann offers a wine connoisseur’s Happy Hour at $5 a glass. Happy hour begins at 5pm on most days and is all day on Sunday when they also offer 20% off champagnes by the glass. Now four years old, Try Wine opened downtown in March of 2013. Stop by and visit their new location on the northwest corner of the Bayshore condo building, at 1 Beach Drive SE , just east of the soon to be James Museum. Parking is limited to area meters. Get more information at www.TryWineCompany.com. CROWLEY’S CLOSES AGAIN Something new is coming to the former site of Crowley’s Irish Pub on Central Avenue, but there are no official announcements yet. BRUNCH AT THE DALI Café Gala invites you to start your week with mimosas and masterpieces. Enjoy a Catalan-inspired Sunday Brunch, then visit the galleries and gardens. It makes for a “Surreal Sunday.” There is no cost to visit the Cafe, store or gardens. However, the galleries do require an admission ticket. The remaining dates this month are November 19 & 26. (11am to 3pm). CORRECTION In the last issue, we told you the new restaurant open inside the Hyatt Grand is called Oak and Stone. Actually, that is their small, ground level café primarily for Hyatt guests. They do plan to have a large upscale restaurant on the southwest corner of the new hotel, but it won’t open until closer to the time the condominium building is finished. MORE 2ND AND SECOND DELAYS The owner of new 2nd and Second Diner says they have moved their opening date back again due to a number of construction related issues. Look for them to open in December DR. BBQ Suzanne and Roger Perry, owners of Tampa’s DATZ, currently have a restaurant under construction in the Edge District, just east of Ferg’s. Called Dr. BBQ it will feature celebrity barbecue champ Ray Lampe. It is scheduled to open in early 2018. Page 20 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Bar & Restaurant News

NEW PIER RESTAURANT Mayor Kriseman has declared he wants The Pier to be “a world class destination” and that must include dining. To achieve that goal, the city has created a short list of restaurants it is considering to be included in its new Pier plan. The plan is to have a major destination type restaurant built on the south side of the pier access, replacing the Pelican Parking lot. Presently, the city is considering two candidates: Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille: This would be the fourth location for the seafood restaurant, and the first outside the Ft. Myers area. Each existing location offers a unique setting including waterfront dining and outdoor seating. Owned by partner Mark Marinello, they are open for lunch & dinner. Their submitted proposal features 250 seats. Steve Westphal: He is the owner of downtown’s Parkshore Grill, 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House, The Hanger and The Annex. He also operates the Café Dali inside the Salvador Dali Museum. His submitted proposal and rendering by Architects Wannermacher Jensen, shown above, calls for a 250-300 seat casual, yet upscale restaurant. If you recall, Westphal was very vocal against building any new major restaurants near the pier. He felt the downtown area had reached its eatery limit. Now, that the city is going forward with picking a new restaurant, he felt he might as well be the one. “If you can’t beat em, join them,” says Westphal. The final decision will be made by the city council and could take a while. The new Pier is proposed to open in April of 2019. ICHICORO ANE COMING SOON This new restaurant’s construction under the Station House on 1st Avenue South is moving quickly. Contractors say they will be done in 30-60 days. Ichicoro Ane will have a large menu of sharable izakaya and other Japanese inspired dishes, plus a full, whiskey-centric bar. MORE NEW OR COMING SOON RESTAURANTS Bento, coming to 330 3rd Street South Déjà Vu Cafe, 401 1st Avenue North Ford Garage, coming to 200 1st Ave South Frog Pond, coming to 850 3rd Avenue South Flute Champagne Bar, 234 Beach Drive Maple Street Biscuit Co, 662 Central Avenue Mini Doughnut Factory, coming to 730 4th Street North Omakase Sushi, 201-D 2nd Street North Pour St Pete, 225 2nd Avenue North Slo Restaurant, 1221 4th Street North Swah-Rey, coming to 625 Central Avenue Sweet Charlie’s, coming to 1010 Central Avenue ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 21 Page 22 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Organizational News... STAMP CLUB They meet every Saturday at 10am in the Trinity Lutheran Church on the corner of Fifth Street and Fourth Street N. Meetings include films, lectures, classes and field trips. They have been meeting there since 1981 and have been part of St. Petersburg since 1923. Membership is $14 per year. Contact Robert Holmes at 744-4106 or e-mail him at [email protected] HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN. Meetings are quarterly on the third Monday of the month (except for holidays) at 7pm, in the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Ave NE. Get information at HONNA.org or call 269-5521. Email President Peter Motzenbecker, at [email protected]. or [email protected]. Their 20th Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes will be Sunday, December 10th. As always, it will be a popular holiday event that spotlights the diverse and distinctive architectural character of the surrounding St. Petersburg neighborhoods. The event is held from 3 to 8pm. Tickets, $20 in advance; $25 on Sunday are available online at www.HONNA.org. EXCHANGE CLUB OF ST PETERSBURG In November, they host the Forever Families Adoption Picnic, which recognizes and honors families that have had adopted hard to place foster children. The picnics brings together these special families for a few hours of fun and fellowship The Club was chartered in 1934 as a service organization. They meet the first and third Thursdays of the month for lunch at the St. Pete Yacht Club. To get involved, contact Cathy Duchow, Club Secretary, at 727- 623-4880 or email at [email protected] KIWANIS CLUB OF ST PETERSBURG They welcome State House Representative Chris Sprowls as their speaker November 21st. The members of the Kiwanis Club pursue creative ways to serve the needs of the children in our St Petersburg community. They raise money for student scholarships and local charities. Their community service projects, weekly speaker luncheons and social events are a big part of this club’s fun. This club meets every Tuesday at Orange Blossom Catering from 12-1:15pm. Email [email protected], call J.C. Russell, Secretary, 821-5518 or visit SPKiwanis.org, for information. SECOND TIME AROUNDERS MARCHING BAND The Second Time Arounders is an all-volunteer marching band. Celebrating their 36th season, they are now preparing for the 2018 season. Did you play, dance, or twirl in high school? Are you looking for a fun new experience in the St. Petersburg area? Consider joining. NO AUDITION REQUIRED! Practice your scales, download the music from the website and rehearse the charts a bit, too. You will be amazed how quickly the notes return! Some members had not played in 25-30 years before joining. Visit www.secondtimearounders.org where you will find information about the band, joining the band for 2018, and their calendar of rehearsals and events. Come check them out and represent your City in a fun, musical way! Call 322-4778. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 23

BOOK GIVES AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF EARLY BEACH LIFE By Wayne Ayers Lizotte goes on to witness the As the editor of the new book “Pioneer Days on Tampa beginnings of St. Petersburg Bay’s Gulf Beaches,” I have become intimately involved in Beach, Treasure Island (first this firsthand look at our beaches’ past, as told by George known as Coney Island), and Lizotte, a Pass-a-Grille innkeeper. Mitchell’s (later Madeira) Beach. Lizotte told his story in a series of articles he wrote for the He concludes his eyewitness Gulf Beach News in 1940. He was 79 years old at the time, account of the beaches past at and his tale covers the local beaches, beginning at Indian Rocks Beach, where he Pass-a-Grille in the late 1800s. At that time, he and pioneer devotes an entire chapter to Zephaniah Phillips were the first settlers in the area. “The Rocks” first settlement as “a land of fishing camps.” Mr. and Among the many tales of early life on the beaches told Mrs. Stanley, “genial hosts of the by Lizotte is a dramatic scene during the great hurricane Indian Rocks Inn,” are lovingly of 1921. He gives a hair-raising account of swimming portrayed by their good friend through his hotel, dodging the furniture floating about him, George Lizotte. and the collapsing walls crashing in. I have been privileged, as editor, Along his life journey on the beaches, Lizotte encounters to work closely with my wife Nancy, and with the University a lively cast of characters, including famous fishing guide of Tampa Press, to bring George Lizotte’s story of Pioneer George Roberts, who reportedly skipped his wedding night Days on Tampa Bay’s Gulf Beaches to life as a book. to fish. He told his bride-to-be, “Lady, you can get married any time, but you’ve got to catch these tarpon when they’re Tampa Bay Magazine termed Lizotte’s eyewitness account biting.” “a fascinating read.” I, and others, have found that to be true. The book is a “one of a kind,” said Raymond Hinst of Silas Dent, the hospitable hermit, caught stone crabs using Haslam’s Book Store in St. Petersburg. He added, “There’s his toes as bait, and captured crabs and rattlesnakes with nothing else like it.” his bare hands. “Pioneer Days on Tampa Bay’s Gulf Beaches” by George Steamboats provided the only transportation to Lizotte. Edited by R. Wayne Ayers. Published by University of Pass-a-Grille and the beaches, and the visitors arrived from Tampa Press. The book is available at Haslam’s Book Store, St. Petersburg and Tampa and points beyond in regularly Barnes & Noble Tyrone, Heritage Village, Florida Botanical scheduled routes. Lizotte describes the ruckus created when Gardens gift shops, , and is also on-line at Amazon.com the first car arrived (brought over by barge), a never before and UTpress.UT.edu. encountered scene on the beach strip. Page 24 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

SHINING STARS by Charleen McGrath, Historic Old Northeast Homeowners Association (HONNA) Board member and Treasurer The brainchild of members of an Old Northeast book club, the idea started at a monthly meeting. Someone remarked about a renovation that transformed a nearby home. Wouldn’t it be great to honor the homeowners for preserving their r property? A group interested in pursuing the idea met with Robin Reed (HONNA Planning & Preservation chair), and a star was born. Many of us have heard developers say that it’s more cost effective to tear down a house than to do a major renovation, and we see examples of that happening all around us. However, many of us in the neighborhood will go the extra dollar to keep the character and history of our homes intact. Let’s pay tribute to these efforts. The Old NE neighborhood is full of examples of homeowners’ care for their homes. From a complete makeover to a simple renovation, new landscaping or fresh paint – we’re recognizing our neighbors for the love and attention paid to their home with the Neighborhood Star Award. It’s not hard to find examples. Going forward, every month yard signs will be placed on properties to indicate an award. New stars will appear in the Old Northeast monthly, and you’ll be able to find them posted on www.honna.org and the HONNA Facebook page. Neighbors are invited to be a part of this effort by nominating neighborhood homes via the HONNA website. The first star goes to: 1630 2nd Street N. Before After

A second star goes to: 101 27th Ave N. Before After

DO YOU REMEMBER ELVIS? By Bob Griffin, Publisher Me!” and Elvis gave them his guitar. In the mid-seventies, I was the Promotion Director for Tampa’s A few months later, Elvis died in Memphis. At my suggestion, Curtis Hixon Hall, a large convention center since torn down. we put RIP/ELVIS on the Curtis Hixon marquee. The photo All the big acts played there. appeared on the Tampa Tribune’s front page. As Promotion Director, I worked with the media—newspapers, General Manager Don Boyles and Sales Manager Don Hibbitts radio, and TV. When shows came to town, they talked to me with WSUN-AM, St. Petersburg’s country radio-station, heard because each act targeted different demographics and they all the Elvis guitar story and called with an idea. wanted advertising. WSUN-AM, on the corner of 2nd Avenue North at 2nd Street, In 1976, we hosted an Elvis Presley Concert. I was 23 and had wanted to create a memorial to Elvis in their studio window no clue it was such a big deal. We sold out in hours; employees that included that guitar, some record albums, Hawaiian leis, took the day off to stand in line for tickets. and studio photographs. I got the guitar for them. Elvis came back on Valentine’s Day 1977 and played at the They promoted the memorial on air and thousands showed up Bayfront Center. I helped two of our employees get front-row to see it while they listened to Elvis’s music from the roof-top center tickets. During the show, Elvis dropped and broke his speakers. It was like something out of the movies, only it was guitar. He looked at the front row and asked “Which of you happening right here in downtown St Petersburg. young ladies stood in line the longest?” My friends yelled, “Me! ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 25

FINDING HOPE IN FLORIDA - GUATEMALAN FAMILY FINDS TREATMENT By Joe Harless While Nina was flown to Johns The Brolo family trip to Ronald McDonald House Charities Hopkins in an air ambulance, her Tampa Bay (RMHC-TB) came by way of a Salvadorian beach. family followed, arriving at RMHC-TB in late February. Nina immediately The Guatemalan family of four was on vacation in early 2017. began treatment, starting the healing Father Alejandro, an insurance representative, and mother period that would prepare her for Claudia, a makeup artist, had taken their daughter Nina, heart surgery. Treating the pulmonary 3, and son Italo, 3 months, to the beach when Nina began hypertension requires continuous IV suffering from fevers. Worried, the family visited a local doctor, medicines, painful necessities that Nina who ordered lab tests and an exam. “Everything looked must endure for a six-months. normal,” Claudia said, “but then Nina fainted.” The coming months will require faith, The situation was particularly frightening given Nina’s stellar strength, and family unity. Doctors health record. She was a healthy baby, never getting sick have recommended that Nina spend and maintaining healthy growth standards. She had been the next year living at sea level because of the pulmonary experiencing respiratory issues in January 2017, but her hypertension. Due to her medical needs, Nina cannot go back parents thought it was only congestion. Tests now revealed home. The family currently stays in the country thanks to a otherwise; Nina had pneumonia with pulmonary hypertension, six-month travel visa, but they must seek an extension to stay. and two holes in her heart. Despite those challenges, the Brolo family’s time at Nina’s illness presented several unique challenges. While she RMHC-TB will be marked by their gratitude for the support needs surgery to repair the holes in her heart, the pulmonary and love they’ve found here. A relative loaned them a car for hypertension diagnosis removed the option of immediate transportation, allowing the family to take in a few baseball surgery. Sufficient time would be needed for Nina to recover games and enjoy the sights of Florida, while the House offers enough to allow for surgery - several months. Additionally, them the facilities to make some of their own foods in the Guatemala’s high elevation would hinder her recovery period. RMHC kitchen. Nina’s baby brother Italo, only five months old Frantic, her parents sought the advice of a specialist, who when they arrived, is growing up at RMHC, and the family directed them to Florida’s Johns Hopkins All Children’s plans to celebrate his first birthday there. Nina continues her Hospital, and advised them of RMHC-TB. Florida’s sea level treatments, but now the family feels comfortable and confident would be more beneficial to Nina’s health, and RMHC-TB about her future. would allow the family to stay together while they waited. “I don’t know what we would do without it,” Claudia said of To a family unfamiliar with Ronald McDonald House, the RMHC-TB. “They give me their heart, and comfort me through suggestion was mystifying. “We knew nothing about RMH,” these stressful times.” Alejandro, who quit his job to make the journey, comments. Page 26 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Art & Museum News SECOND SATURDAY ARTWALK StPeteArtsAlliance.org MOREAN ARTS CENTER 727-822-7872 Be the first to see new affordable works of art. You can 719 Central Avenue. MoreanArtsCenter.org see art all month long, however ArtWalk is opening night Merry + Bright: 2017 Holiday Show and Sale, now where some 40 galleries and studios premiere new works, through December 29. This annual member show has a with artists and demos on-site. Meet the artists and gallery buy-local retail focus for the holidays. Purchase a unique owners during this casual, festive evening as over 40 item for everyone on your holiday shopping list, including studios and galleries in the Central Arts District, Waterfront paintings, functional pottery, jewelry, glass, ornaments Arts District, EDGE District, Grand Central District and the and arty stocking-stuffers. Warehouse Arts District come together as one destination Artists Needed - they invite emerging artists, residing in on the second Saturday of the month from 5-9 pm. Florida to submit entries for possible exhibition in the Free ArtWalk trolleys encompass the arts districts. Free second annual Fresh Squeezed: Emerging Artists in Florida. parking can be found on 1st Ave N and 1st Ave S from The exhibition will be held at the Morean Arts Center 15th St. to 30th St., The Clay Center of St. Petersburg, MGA March 10 – April 27. The purpose of Fresh Squeezed is to Studios and the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American encourage, support and celebrate artists who fly under the Museum. Download the map and list of participants to plan radar, who haven’t had their big break, whose work may your festive art evening at www.stpeteartsalliance.org. not be typical gallery or museum fare. For Fresh Squeezed, ST. PETERSBURG MUSEUM OF HISTORY 894-1052 they encourage artists to break boundaries, to think of 335 2nd Ave N.E, HistoryStPete.org ways their work can create a dialog in our community, our They are hosting “Beers on the region, in our wild, wacky, wonderful state. Pier” on December 16th from MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 727-896-2667 6-10pm at the St. Pete Museum 255 Beach Dr NE mfastpete.org of History. 24 craft beers will be Star Wars and the Power Costume Opens November 11 featured. Get tickets and more Take a unique journey into the Star Wars™ universe information at the museum’s as characters are brought to life through a dramatic front desk or HistoryStPete.org presentation of more than 60 original costumes. Star Their next Happy Hour with the Wars™ and the Power of Costume will closely examine Historian, an evening of wine, the captivating process of costume design for iconic outfits words and wisdom is January 12 featured in the first seven films of the Star Wars saga— – Lyn Millner will discuss “The Allure of Immortality: An from Queen Amidala’s lavish gowns to Darth Vader’s American Cult, a Florida Swamp, and a Renegade Prophet. imposing black armor. Visit their “Signs Of Our Times” exhibit in the in the main Explore the artistry of the world’s most recognized cinematic gallery. This vintage journey of roadside art features costumes, including Queen Amidala, Chewbacca, X-Wing iconic advertising road signs and historic brands from Pilots, and Droids, including C-3PO and R2-D2. across the globe This exhibition goes beyond the chronological, literary, or THE DALI MUSEUM 727-823-3767 filmic order often used to chronicle Star Wars™. It focuses One Dali Blvd thedali.org instead on the creative process, encompassing the essence Dali & Schiaparelli, Continues through January - It of George Lucas’ vision and the exciting challenge of features haute couture gowns and accessories, jewelry, translating his iconic characters into a dynamic reality. paintings, drawings, objects and photos, as well as new Entries to the exhibition are timed every 20 minutes on the designs by Bertrand Guyon for Maison Schiaparelli. hour. They anticipate a high demand to see the exhibition, January 6–March 4 - 2018 Pinellas County Student and as such, recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Surrealist Art Exhibit: “The Marvelous, the Fantastic, & AMERICAN ARTS AND CRAFTS MUSEUM the Grotesque.” This annual art exhibit presents work This new downtown museum is already under way on by middle and high school students who are invited to Fourth Avenue N between Third and Fourth Streets. The explore ideas and visions similar to those explored by construction of this $70-million museum is starting as soon Dali and the surrealists. as the permits, expected this month, are issued. This is They recently announced the promotion of their chief the dream of businessman and collector Rudy Ciccarello marketing officer, Kathy Greif, to chief operating officer who is spearheading and paying for project. It will feature as well as the appointment of Beth Bell to the position of a vast collection of furniture, pottery, tile, metal work, marketing director. Greif and Bell each report to Dr. Hank lighting, photography and other decorative arts from the Hine, executive director. American Arts and Crafts movement. The museum will be a five-story, 137,000 square foot facility. FLORIDA CRAFTART 727-821-7391 501 Central Ave. FloridaCraftArt.org The $70 million project does not include the $16 million Their 20th Annual CraftArt Festival is Saturday, November already spent to acquire the 3.2 acres of prime downtown 19th and Sunday, November 20th, just outside the doors real estate, construction of the parking garage already of Florida CraftArt Gallery, at the crossroads of Central built and open, architectural fees, consulting and permits. Avenue and 5th Street in Downtown St. Petersburg. Once started, the museum is expected to take two years to It includes over 120 of the nation’s best contemporary build and decorate. fine craft artists, artist demonstrations, food trucks, craft This is the second privately financed museum recently beers and a children’s activity tent sponsored. Art features announced in the downtown area. The first was the handmade works in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, paper The James Museum, founded by Tom and Mary James, and mixed media scheduled to open early next year. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 27

FIRST NIGHT ST. PETERSBURG BRINGING RYAN MONTBLEAU TO PERFORM ON NEW YEAR’S EVE! First Night St. Petersburg 2018, presented this year by 411- Buy your buttons early and start planning your evening! PAIN, will feature the nationally touring Ryan Montbleau Buttons are available for sale now on their website at Band on the finale stage from 9:30pm-midnight. www.firstnightstpete.com. They will go on sale locally on Ryan Montbleau will be bringing his mix of rock, funk, soul Thanksgiving. folk and psychedelia for an amazing performance with his In advance, buttons cost $12 adults, $5 children 6-12, band. Ryan has been crafting songs since college and has Children 5 and under are free. The cost on Dec. 30 and honed his performances to a wonderful mix of love songs, 31 increases to $15 adults and $10 children funky jams and psychedelic soul gems. His songwriting BUTTON SALE OUTLETS INCLUDE: is inspired by such great as Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson Gas Convenience Stores: and Bob Marley. Ryan hails from Massachusetts and has Old Northeast Rally 2131 4th St. N – St. Petersburg, been entertaining audiences across the country. Montbleau Treasure Island, Rally 10801 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, has opened for John Hammond, Melissa Ferrick, Ani Seminole Citgo, 5401 Seminole Blvd. - Seminole DiFranco, Martin Sexton, and Rodrigo y Gabriela. His band has performed at Bonnaroo, Jam Cruise, Cayamo Kahwa Coffee Shops: Songwriter’s Cruise, and they have become a regular act 475 2nd Street N & 204 2nd Avenue S - St. Petersburg at the Gathering of the Vibes Music Festival in Connecticut. and 3928 Henderson Blvd - Tampa He has also toured with Martin Sexton as his backing band St. Petersburg Businesses and Organizations and opening act. Local bluesman Damon Fowler will Annex at Beach Drive perform 7:00pm-9:00pm, prior to Montbleau. Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE First Night St. Petersburg 2018, our family New Year’s Eve Courtyard by Marriott 300 4th St. N. Celebration of the Arts, has admission buttons for sale at ARTicles, 1445 Central Ave. www.firstnightstpete.com. First Night has seen an increase St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce 100 2nd Ave N. in buttons purchased early from people outside of Florida The Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave. and the U.S. as St. Petersburg becomes known as a great Florida CraftArt, 501 Central Ave. destination to experience art and music! Their beautiful St Pete. Chamber Visitor’s Center, 100 2nd Ave. N. buttons, designed by local artists The Vitale Brothers, are For more information or to volunteer for a shift at First a collectable item! Night, call 727-823-8906 or an email to [email protected]. Page 28 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER

ST. PETERSBURG OPERA NEWS St. Petersburg Opera Company is performing an opera suitable for all ages based on the classic story Pinocchi, set to the music of Mozart, Donizetti, Offenbach and Verdi. This staged and costumed one hour opera is being performed at Opera Central 2145 1st Avenue S, on Nov. 17 at 7pm and Nov. 18th at 2pm. In conjunction with Pinellas County Schools and Elevate A.R.T.S., the opera was performed for over 600 third graders last year and is now being opened to the public as an entry to experiencing opera. ($10 adults/$5 children 18 and younger). St. Petersburg Opera Company is performing Seasonal Sparkle 2017, a musical journey through all four seasons from spring’s new life to winter’s family gatherings, culminating with a celebration of the holidays. Great soloists, a stellar chorus and a 40-piece professional orchestra under the baton of Maestro Mark Sforzini will make All Four Seasons Sparkle. Performances December 18 & 19 at 7:30 pm at The Palladium 253 Fifth Avenue N. Visit StPeteOpera.org or call 727-823-2040 for further details about both shows. ST PETE RUN FEST IN DTSP November 18-19 The St Pete Run Fest is a two-day running festival, featuring the PeliKids Runs and Health & Wellness Market on Saturday, November 18th, and the St Pete Half Marathon & Relay, and Sunshine City 5K on Sunday, November 19th. Post-race festivities include entertainment, craft beer from 3 Daughters Brewing, and food by Outback Steakhouse. On Saturday, November 18th, enjoy the Health & Wellness Market at Al Lang Stadium Parking Lot from 9am-3pm, with the Saturday Morning Market. The PeliKids Runs start on Bayshore Drive at 2pm. There will be kids activities at the Great Explorations Kids Zone at Albert Whitted Park. Holiday Events On Sunday, November 19th, The St. Pete Half Marathon NOVEMBER: (at 7am) and the Sunshine City 5K (at 10:30am) both start Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair Woman’s Club 18 on Bayshore Drive next to the Salvador Dali Museum. Half Shop-a-plooza South Straub Park 18 & 25 Marathon runners will take a detour through Tropicana Coliseum Holiday Extravaganza 18-19 Field. All runners will finish on Bayshore Drive near the Thanksgiving 23 Mahaffey Theater. Black Friday Shopping Day 24 Christmas Tree Lighting Downtown 24 The Sunshine City 5K is a fundraiser for the St. Petersburg Holiday Lights at Botanical Gardens 24-30 Free Clinic Food Pantry. As part of their Miles for Meals DECEMBER: program, Endorfun Sports LLC (St Pete Run Fest) will Morean Art Center Holiday Show 1-29 donate $1 per mile run (up to $3 per runner) to the SPFC Post Office Toys For Tots 2 Food Pantry for all 5K participants Holiday Santa Parade & Snowfest 2 Online Registration for all of the events is available until Fl Orchestra Holiday Tour Of Homes 2 Thursday, November 16th at www.stpeterunfest.org. The Jingle Mingle #2 Sunken Gardens 7 schedule for pre-registered bib pick-up, and new race-day Santa And Glice Skating Straub Park 7-10 registrations (if spots available) are as follows: Heritage Village Decorated For Holidays 9-31 PeliKids Runs (ages 2-13) – Saturday, November 18th – Bad Santa Bar Crawl 9 New registrations from 9-1:30pm at the Health & Wellness St Pete’s Illuminated Boat Parade 9 Market at Al Lang Stadium parking lot. Pre-registered bib Candlelight Tour Of Homes HONNA 10 pick-up from 11am-1:30pm at Albert Whitted Park. Hanukkah Begins 12 Boley’s Jingle Bell Run 13 Half Marathon & Relay – Saturday, November 18th – Holiday Of The Arts South Straub Park 16-17 Pre-registered bib pick-up and new registrations (if spots Public School Close for Winter Break 18 available) from 9-3pm at Mahaffey Theater Ballroom. Christmas 25 5K – Saturday, November 18th - Pre-registered bib pick- Kwanzaa Begins 26 up and new registrations (if spots available) from 9-3pm at New Years Eve 31 Mahaffey Theater Ballroom, OR Sunday, November 19th from 8am-10:15am in the Mahaffey Theater ATRIUM. **Pre-registering online is strongly suggested, as spots are limited** ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 29

FERG’S A Sports Bar with History Nearly 25 years ago, St. Petersburg native Mark Ferguson took a leap of faith and combined business with a passion for sports, food, and beer. It was quite a large leap to take having no previous experience in the restaurant industry, but with the support of friends and family, dreams became reality as an old Sunoco gas station was converted into what is now a staple in downtown St. Petersburg. When the doors opened in 1992, downtown St. Petersburg was an entirely different place. As our city has grown, so has Ferg’s. From that Sunoco building in the rundown “Gas Plant District,” the sports bar now encompasses nearly two city blocks in the Edge District. Conveniently located across the street from Tropicana Field and equipped with a tunneled walking path under 1st Avenue South for the safety of those trekking to the stadium, it has become the headquarters for baseball fans in St. Pete. The downtown St. Pete location has accommodated over 17,000 guests on Opening Day for the Tampa Bay Rays. In its early days, “The Trop,” as dubbed by many Rays fans, was the Suncoast Dome, home to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The proximity of Ferg’s to the Lightning in their early days certainly proved to be foreshadowing - in 2015, Ferg’s opened a second location in Tampa to serve as a game day hub for hockey fans. Ferg’s history doesn’t stop at its growth and expansion over the last two and a half decades - it’s in the walls, the floors, and even the bars of the largest sports bar in the state of Florida. Ferguson kept sustainability in mind when outfitting his restaurants, repurposing materials (which would otherwise be sitting in a landfill) whenever possible. Wood and bleachers came from local schools, and repurposed materials from other long standing St. Pete businesses, such as All Children’s Hospital and Derby Lane Dog Track, are incorporated into the building. Ferg’s is so much more than a go-to spot before hitting the game. It’s a part of our community. After Hurricane Irma blew through, many were left without power, meaning no hot meals, air conditioning, or charging of electronics. Ferg’s was one of the few businesses operating the very day after the storm, opening their kitchen, outlets, and taps to those in need. Community outreach is important to Ferguson, who regularly hosts fund raisers for non-profit organizations in the Tampa Bay area. What started as an idea became a reality for Mark Ferguson. “I feel very lucky to be here” he shared. “I had no restaurant experience when I bought the property 25 years ago – I taught Phys. Ed for 18 years. I knew it was a risk because most businesses fail within the first year, but I also knew how much I like sports and drinking.” Thanks to Mark, we now have the perfect place to enjoy sports and drinking with friends and family. Come out and help celebrate 25 years of success on Wednesday, November 22nd at Ferg’s downtown St. Pete location! Live music on the patio includes: Mad Man Mac 5 - 8pm & 11pm- 2am and Greg Billings Band 8 -11pm. The BackYard Lineup is The Red Sunday 7 -10pm. They will have drink specials and t-shirt & koozie giveaways. Fergs is located at 1320 Central Ave, St. Petersburg. Call 727-822-4562 for more information. Page 30 ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Organizational News... GFWC ST. PETERSBURG WOMAN’S CLUB They host their annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair Saturday, November 18 from 9am to 1pm in their historical Woman’s Club’s building, 40 Snell Isle. It’s a great time to start some early Christmas shopping. The Woman’s Club is in the middle of its 2017 year with meetings and many events. They normally meet on meet monthly on the second Friday at 1pm and second Tuesdays at 7pm. The St. Petersburg Woman’s Club celebrated 100 years of community activity in 2013. It is affiliated with the General Federation Of Woman’s Clubs a not-for-profit volunteer organization serving the community through hands-on projects and fundraising as well as leadership development. Monthly Activities include Majhong on Mondays, Bridge, Bunco and other games on Fridays. For information, e-mail [email protected], call (727) 822-4982 or visit: StPetersburgWomansClub.org ROTARY CLUB OF ST. PETERSBURG The Rotary Club of St Petersburg was founded in 1920. They meet every Friday at the St Pete Yacht Club at 11 Central Ave. Lunch starts at 12:15. Call 822-3277or visit SPRotary.org. ST. PETE DNA They represent residents downtown from 5th Ave. N to 5th Ave. S and includes the Edge District. The association aims to build a stronger community by bringing neighbors together as a collective voice for downtown issues. Their next Porch Party is December 14 from 6 to 8pm, at Stillwaters Tavern on Beach Drive. Tickets are $15 for members; $20 non-members. The next general meeting is January 10th at 7pm in the Cathedral Church of St Peter. If you are a member or downtown resident interested in serving on the Board of St. Pete DNA, apply at STPETEDNA.org before December 1st. Membership is $15 per year for individuals or $20 per household. Associate memberships for those who do not reside downtown are $20 per year. Visit stpetedna.org. SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB Founded in 1977, the Rotary Club of St. Petersburg Sunrise continues to be passionate about making a difference in our community. Rotary is an international service organization, comprised of 33,000 Rotary clubs in 200 countries that form a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers. Be part of a local club with a global impact: Join them for breakfast on Tuesday mornings, 7:45 am, at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. For information: email [email protected], or visit stpeterotary.com or Facebook.com/SunriseRotaryStPete. TOASTMASTERS Become an experienced hands-on speaker and leader. Two groups are available at different times: City Power Toastmasters meet at St. Petersburg Municipal Services Building, One 4th St. N., room 600, from noon to 1pm Wednesdays. Membership is only a $20 initial fee and $43 for 6 months. Alexis Shuder 727-893-7918. Downtown St. Pete Toastmasters meets Thursday evening at 6:15pm at St. Pete College, Room DC 125 at 244 2nd Avenue North. Call Cynthia Jenkins at 742-6840. ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN NEWSLETTER Page 31 Organizational News... FRIENDS OF THE MIRROR LAKE LIBRARY This is an association of engaged like-minded folks who want to support Mirror Lake Library through volunteerism, fund-raising, and sponsorship of programs and services. Linda Sagese is the president. Yearly, they host four author events, one book sale and meet four times. Linda Sagese is the President. E-mail Diane at [email protected]. ST. PETERSBURG SAIL & POWER SQUADRON They meet monthly at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club with special seminars at the nearby Sailing Center located in Demen’s Landing at 250 2nd Avenue SE. To join, contact Jeff Eckhart at 424-9800 or email him JeffEckhart41@ Gmail.com. They are presenting America’s Boating Course, beginning January 8th. This six week course will expand your knowledge of boating skills. Graduates qualify for a Florida Boating Safety Education ID card and may receive additional insurance discounts. You must RSVP at Boating-StPete.org as space is limited to 20 people. $45 per family. SUNSHINE CENTER They are seeking donations for their resale shop to benefit its center’s participants. Items needed are small pots and pans, gently used clean clothing and shoes, costume jewelry and purses. Drop your donations off at 330 5th Avenue N., between 8:30am and 3:30pm. Call Sally Marvin at 893-7190. The Friends normally meet on the second Saturday of each month. To get involved, call Carol Ann Payne at 821-2323. It is located at 330 5th Avenue N. BREAKFAST OPTIMISTS CLUB They are a proud sponsor of Get Downtown First Friday, their primary fund-raiser. All the income from these events is donated to various groups that support children in the community. They meet three out of four Thursdays a month at 7:30am at Kissin Cuzzins, 951 34th Street N. and on the third Thursday at 6pm at Rib City, located at 1550 66th St. N. Contact President Sue Curcio at [email protected]. DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS CIVIC ASSOCIATION Membership is expanding and is open to all downtown residential community associations. All community associations located in the area to the east of 10th Street and from 14th Avenue North to 14th Avenue South are eligible to be members of DCRA. Current members include: Bayfront Tower, The Cloisters, The Florencia, Harbor Hill, Signature Place, Vinoy Place and McNulty Lofts. Contact Marion Lee, President, at 894-9491 or visit StPete-DRCA.org. ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT PRESERVATION SOCIETY They are dedicated to preserving and enhancing Albert Whitted Airport, one of our nation’s most historic aviation facilities by working with fellow citizens and businesses to keep this downtown transportation and commerce center a vibrant part of our city. Their monthly Pancake Breakfasts at Albert Whitted in the Hangar Restaurant, on the first Saturday of the month from 8 to 11am. Everyone is invited. Upcoming breakfasts are December 2 and January 6. ST. PETERSBURG PRESERVATION SOCIETY The Preservation Society hosts many events year round including the popular Walking Tours of downtown and neighborhoods and Movies in the Park in May and October. For more information, contact St Petersburg Preservation at 824-7802 or visit StPetePreservation.org. Follow them on FaceBook at Facebook.com/StPetePreservation.